In recent years, due to advantages such as low invasiveness in relation to the subject, there has been a significant increase in techniques performed by inserting a funicular insert instrument configured by a narrow, funicular member into the body. These insert instruments include catheters as well as guide wires that are introduced together with catheters, etc. In this specification, these and other funicular insert instruments are hereinafter referred to as “wire(s)”. Because wires generally absorb more X-rays than the human body, in X-ray images, they are observed as relatively clear black, narrow lines.
One example of the X-ray fluoroscopic examination in which wires are used is catheterization under X-ray fluoroscopy. In catheterization under X-ray fluoroscopy, a catheter is inserted into the body from an artery of the femoral region, etc., and the catheter is guided to the affected area while referring to X-ray fluoroscopy images (moving image) displayed in real time to perform treatment.
A medical imaging apparatus used in catheterization under X-ray fluoroscopy irradiates X-rays for fluoroscopy to a subject into whom a catheter has been inserted, detects X-rays that have penetrated the subject, and based on the detection results, forms and displays X-ray fluoroscopy images depicting the interior of the subject. Moreover, the medical imaging apparatus is configured to be able to change fluoroscopy conditions, including the X-ray dosage during fluoroscopy of the subject, based on information from input operations, and when the X-ray dosage is raised, finer X-ray fluoroscopy images is displayed as a result. In finer X-ray fluoroscopy images, it is possible to make the tissues inside the subject, including the blood vessels, easier to view (e.g., Patent Document 1).
Moreover, to display a finer X-ray fluoroscopy image, it is possible to occasionally supply a contrast agent from the catheter and observe the image of the contrast agent that appears for only a few seconds to confirm the position to which the guide wire should be advanced.
As a result of such an X-ray fluoroscopic examination, a series of moving images is obtained. If these moving images are kept as they are, it is difficult to subsequently find a desired examination from among examination records related to many patients. Therefore, conventionally, a method has been used to automatically or manually select a single appropriate frame from among the moving images obtained in the X-ray fluoroscopic examination and use this image as a representative image of the examination. This image is referred to as a thumbnail.
Even if the desired examination is found using a conventional thumbnail, it also takes time to find the desired shot from within the examination. Moreover, it is common to perform procedures, etc. for multiple purposes during a single examination, but in such cases, it is not possible to sufficiently represent the characteristics of the examination in a single thumbnail.
Methods of generating multiple thumbnails from among the moving images include a method of simultaneously playing back and viewing all channels of footage sampled over only several seconds every few minutes. In this way, it is possible to broadly recognize the type of surgery performed, the arrangement of equipment and staff, and when the equipment, etc. was operated.
Then, when finding an important scene or a shot representing a turning point, a cue is manually attached, and later, by selecting the cue, the frame corresponding to the time can be accessed.
For example, in the moving images, prolonged continuations of great changes in the footage occur when the surgery has been discontinued for some reason and people are moving around, or when the surgery proceeds to the next process and the layout of equipment and staff is being adjusted, etc. By attaching a cue to such time periods and sampling the preceding and proceeding frames, it becomes easy to infer what stage the surgery is in.
Similar techniques include a technique in which a designation of an operator is received, bookmark data is generated at any timing on the timescale of the moving images, and the frames are associated with the bookmark data and recorded (e.g., Patent Document 2).